


A String of Pearls

by SweetSorcery



Series: My Hero [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Canon, Character Death Fix, Coming Out, Costume Kink, Costume Parties & Masquerades, Crossdressing, Falling In Love, Friends to Lovers, Leather Kink, M/M, Makeup, Male Slash, Possessive Behavior, Slash, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-19
Updated: 2011-10-19
Packaged: 2017-10-24 18:42:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/266647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SweetSorcery/pseuds/SweetSorcery
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A Hogwarts tradition is revived. Just in time to propel the heroes of the wizarding world into action, before something special slips through their fingers. (Harry is 15, Cedric is 17, but this is not explicit.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	A String of Pearls

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: All canon referred to within belongs to JK Rowling, Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books, Raincoast Books, Warner Bros. Inc., and possibly others. Non-canon bits were created for non-profit, non-infringement entertainment.
> 
> Archiving: Nowhere except here, and not in translated form either.
> 
> Author's Notes: This was written in February 2006.

When gazing into a delightedly squealing mirror from eyes made misty by grey eye shadow and outlined in soft black, you can be forgiven for embracing your impressive new look by blowing said mirror a flirty kiss from glossy lips. Even if you are Cedric Diggory.

It had once been a Hogwarts tradition to have an end of year costume ball for the older students. One of the more mischievously inclined former headmasters had then added the caveat that one seventh year student from each of the four houses should be dressed up in the full regalia of the opposite sex.

After Harry Potter's spectacular defeat of Voldemort a year prior, the mood was certainly right to revive the costume ball tradition. In the past, female students had simply attended in dress robes or a tuxedo, but once in a while, a male student had actually made the most of the tradition.

And Hufflepuff house was particularly prone to this kind of mischief, because Cedric Diggory had been right there with Harry, at the end of the Triwizard Tournament, when the two young wizards had pooled their magic to kill the dark Lord in his weak, embryonic state. Not only had they prevented his resurrection once and for all, they had even managed to absorb some of his power - among other things, both of them could now practise wandless magic with ease.

The wizarding world had not stopped rejoicing yet, and this was most apparent at Hogwarts.

Once it had been decided that one of Hufflepuff's seventh year boys would become a seventh year girl, it was only a matter of time before Cedric was voted the most eligible candidate. After all, he was pretty, even for a boy. And he was half the reason for the continuing festive mood. And of course Cedric, being Cedric, agreed good-naturedly to don the dress and make-up, under the condition that no yellow would feature, house-loyalty or not.

Which was how he found himself turning this way and that in front of a group of whistling, giggling Hufflepuffs, the fringed tails of his silver flapper dress swinging around his completely smooth legs encased in lacy grey stockings. Black and white pearl accents adorned the dress tails and shoulder straps, while the bodice fell smooth and loose past his slender waist. A strand of luminescent pearls caressed his collarbones and flat chest, distracting from the outline of his decidedly unfeminine shoulders and upper arm muscles. His fine-boned feet were encased in reasonably comfortable, flat black court shoes.

Cedric's hair had been a bit of a problem, until one of the girls had had the bright idea to take tongs to it and lay it in soft waves fixed with a little gel. After that, it had been only a matter of plucking his eyebrows - a minor thing after having spelled away every trace of body hair in the vicinity of his arms and legs - and doing his make-up.

The end result caused much nervous chuckling within the male Hufflepuff contingent and much envy within the female. Cedric was in equal parts pleased and mortified by the effect.

But at least the fuss was keeping him distracted from the melancholia connected to his impending departure from Hogwarts. And a lot more than melancholia, at that; he tried hard not to think about a certain younger student he might never see again and had somehow never been brave enough to approach. If only he'd been a Gryffindor himself - his courage might not have failed him after that unforgettable, long, victorious hug they'd shared when Voldemort had fallen at their feet. And there had been times, during the past year, when he'd been sure the other boy felt the same way.

He and Harry had become fierce friends, but it had been a mixed blessing for Cedric, who'd been having a hard time hiding his longing for the younger boy. If anyone had told him that a face off with the Dark Lord would be easier on his heart than the potential loss of a very particular friendship, he would have advised a visit to St. Mungo's.

His thoughts were scattered by the time his friends were leading him through the doors of the Great Hall. They'd been dodging giggles and catcalls all the way there, so the initial stunned silence of the room, followed by more of the same raucous reactions, was no great surprise.

In fact, the only reaction out of the ordinary came from a fifth year student decked out in an impressive pitch-black and skin tight Zorro costume, green eyes wide behind his vision-spelled eye mask, mouth open on a silent gasp. His hands in fingerless leather gloves nearly snapped the whip completing his costume, and it was only when he heard an amused Ron saying, "Harry, you're drooling," that he managed to clank his teeth together.

Harry felt marginally better about his reaction to Cedric's appearance when he realised that more than a few other boys, including Ron himself, Seamus, Draco Malfoy of all people, and Roger Davies - whose concession to tradition had been a touch of lipstick and a fairly androgynous muggle-style pant suit in a matching wine-red - couldn't stop staring at him either. Well, it made him feel better for a while. And then it started to annoy him. A lot.

Cedric seemed oblivious to the effect he was having, mingling with his fellow students and having a grand time as if he wasn't turning heads left, right and centre with every twirl of his dress and clink of his string of pearls. It was clear that for this night, the usual giddy attentions bestowed on him by the female student body came from the male contingent. Not that a lot of the girls weren't ogling him as well.

His fellow hero didn't fare much better. An hour into the ball, and after dodging countless subtle and not so subtle innuendos about his costume by more girls than Harry cared to count, he had still managed not to be dragged onto the dance floor to make a fool of himself. Which didn't mean he wasn't perfectly capable of making a fool of himself in other ways.

He yelped when he backed into someone in an attempt to get out of the way of a particularly enthusiastic Neville whirling a giggling Luna about. When he turned and reached out to steady the other person, muttering an apology, his hand came to rest on a firm hip in slinky crushed velvet.

"It's okay, Harry," said a low, slightly unsteady voice.

Harry's eyes widened when he found himself staring up into Cedric's amused grey eyes. He'd thought the Hufflepuff's impact on him to be something of a worry across the room, but he hadn't been prepared for the sight of lushly glossed, smiling lips and smoky eyes at close quarters. "Christ," he muttered, and promptly flushed.

Cedric chuckled nervously. "Sorry, hope I didn't give you a fright. I could say they made me wear this, but you have to play along sometimes, don't you?" He was embarrassed and very unsure of Harry's reaction.

Swallowing audibly, Harry nodded.

"Were you going for a drink?" Cedric asked, indicating the punch bowl just to the right of them. "Because I was about to get something myself."

Harry nodded again. His eyes were fixed on the way Cedric's glistening lips moved while he talked. His costume was beginning to feel decidedly uncomfortable, and he hysterically thought that maybe he should have opted for a dress himself.

Cedric was beginning to worry, because Harry looked to be in shock. He had parted his lips to continue talking and cover the awkward silence, when Harry's next words silenced him. "What?" he croaked, certain he had heard wrong.

"You look beautiful," Harry repeated huskily, then closed his eyes in horror at his own words.

"Thank you," Cedric murmured, spots of pink high on his cheeks. He was glad he had refused the blusher. "You look quite..." He finally allowed his eyes to roam up and down over Harry, his mouth going dry when he caught a glimpse of collarbones behind the laced up front of the black silk top and the way the unforgivingly tight trousers clung to Harry's hips and strong legs. Harry's high boots gave him a good two inches, and as he'd grown a fair bit over the past year anyway, that put him at eye-to-mouth level to Cedric. He tried very hard not to notice the black whip Harry was tormenting in a white-knuckle grasp. Very hard. Hadn't he been about to say something? What... oh yes. "Dashing," he finished lamely, swallowing an assortment of less appropriate descriptions of Harry's costume.

"Thanks." Harry's cheeks were pink.

A blushing Zorro was nothing if not amusing, and Cedric couldn't help but grin. Harry smiled back at him, and they simply stood there, foolishly grinning at each other.

"Hey, cutie. Fancy a spin?" disrupted an obnoxious voice from their left, and then a clearly tipsy Draco Malfoy donning dress robes and a Venetian carnival mask, which made him look like a peacock, wobbled into their field of vision, his usual elegance drowned in many a glass of punch.

Cedric frowned at him and turned away, perfectly happy to ignore him, when he realised Harry was positively glaring at Malfoy.

"Well?" Malfoy insisted. "I don't dance with just anybody, you know."

"No, thank you, Malfoy," Cedric said evenly, still marvelling at Harry's furious expression.

"Why not?" Draco slurred, nearly overbalancing when he tried to strike a pose.

Harry narrowed his eyes at him. "No means no, Malfoy. Now be a good little ferret and run along." His voice was hard as steel and cold, and Cedric felt it in his toes. It occurred to him that he should feel silly having two fifth years arguing over him, but one of them was Harry. He felt heavenly.

" _Potter!_ " Malfoy leaned into Harry's personal space, and Harry scrunched up his nose at the smell of alcohol thick between them. "Get your own girl."

At this, Cedric couldn't hold back a snort of laughter, and Harry joined him.

"Whas so funny?" Malfoy slurred, staring back and forth between them. Then his unfocussed eyes suddenly widened, and he stumbled backwards. "Shit, Diggory!?" He turned and took to his heels, leaving both Harry and Cedric in peals of laughter.

When Harry finally managed to gasp in some air, he said, "I've waited five years to see Malfoy make a complete prat of himself without any help from anyone."

"Oh? I think I might have helped a bit, actually," Cedric said, grinning.

"True." Harry was still chuckling. "I owe you for this." He looked at Cedric and smiled. "Is there any way I can repay my debt?"

Cedric's grin turned into a soft little smirk. "I might be able to think of something."

Harry shifted, silently cursing the damn trousers Ginny and Hermione had picked out for him. His eyes were fixed on Cedric's mouth; it looked its usual plush red, just glossier - he could almost taste it.

"Did you mistake me for a girl at all?" Cedric suddenly desperately needed to know.

"No, of course not." Harry grinned.

Cedric looked very pleased. "Want to get some punch?"

Nodding, Harry led the way, and once they held a glass each, he looked up at Cedric and said, a little hesitantly, "You were going to tell me how to repay my debt."

"I was, wasn't I?" Cedric smirked around the rim of his glass as he sipped at it daintily. He was feeling a lot bolder after Harry's fascinating display of possessiveness.

Harry couldn't help but stare at the way Cedric's dark, thick lashes fluttered teasingly over his eyes, fixed on him over his glass. "You can repay by listening to me telling you a secret. Let's go somewhere we can talk."

"A secret? Yes, please." Harry smiled. He was in something of a hurry to be gone from the Great Hall, not to mention hearing Cedric's secret. At this rate, he couldn't be sure he wouldn't forget himself and lean in to kiss those too tempting, too shiny lips in front of half the school.

Cedric smiled and, glass in hand, led him towards the door behind the teachers' dais through which they had both gone during Harry's fourth year. He continued smiling all the way, certain he could feel eyes fixed on his swaying backside. He very much hoped they were just Harry's, not those of half the school wondering where he was leading the Gryffindor off to.

When they got to the door, Cedric was surprised to find Harry rushing past him and holding it open for him. He hid his smile by lowering his eyes, mumbling a soft 'thank you' as he passed Harry.

Harry's boot heels sounded too loud on the stone steps once the door separating them from the Great Hall and its raucous noise had fallen shut behind them. The trophy room looked much like it had over a year earlier, and Harry shuddered when he remembered how he'd felt then.

Cedric noticed his discomfort, and his face fell. "I'm sorry, Harry, I should have thought. Do you want to go somewhere else?"

"No, don't worry." Harry walked down towards the sofa near the dark, unlit fire-place, spelling on a few torch-lamps in passing, and Cedric followed hesitantly.

"You're sure?"

"Yes." Smiling, Harry waited until Cedric had arranged himself on one end of the sofa, grateful to whoever had chosen that particular dress for him as he watched the thin fringes settle to both sides and in between Cedric's slim legs, leaving them exposed to halfway up his thighs.

Tugging at the scraps of fabric to cover more of himself, Cedric eventually gave up. It was a futile exercise, and furthermore, Harry seemed unable to take his eyes off his legs. A warm shiver tickled the skin between his shoulder blades. "Harry?" he prompted, smirking.

When the green eyes met Cedric's again, they were burning. "Sorry, didn’t mean to stare." Harry chuckled nervously. "Hard not to though."

Cedric blushed, but couldn't resist teasing. "I suppose I'm quite the sight."

Harry's gaze was so intense, Cedric fully expected the fireplace to spring to life. "Quite."

Cedric shifted and wriggled under the scrutiny, which only increased his temperature. "Sit?" he suggested shakily.

Harry quickly settled on the sofa next to Cedric, trying not to wince. He'd known those pants were a bad idea even before Cedric had decided to don what probably sold under the name of _Harry Potter's Wet Dream_. "You were going to... um, tell me something," Harry rubbed the back of his neck.

"Yes." Cedric smiled nervously. "But now I'm not sure I should."

"You definitely should," Harry said immediately.

"You don't know what I was going to say." Smiling, Cedric watched as Harry tried to shift closer surreptitiously - an impossible venture with the soft rustle of black leather betraying his every movement.

"I'm sure I'll like it."

Their eyes met, and both gulped.

"You're sure you're not too distracted by my costume to pay attention?"

Harry smirked. "I'm going to look deep into your eyes while you talk, so you'll know I'm not."

Knowing that would do nothing to help _him_ stay focussed, Cedric ventured forth with a sigh. "I've been meaning to tell you for a long time, Harry, but... well, I'm older than you, and now I'm almost leaving, and I don't... didn't know if you were even..."

"I am." Harry was beginning to feel more alert to the nuances of the conversation by the moment.

"You are?" Should an 18-year old feel quite so giddy, Cedric wondered.

"Both. But... definitely more towards... you... you know." Another blush.

Cedric wanted to kiss him. "Me too."

Harry's eyes, almost as dark by then as the mask surrounding them, softened. "How long?" he asked breathlessly.

"First time I really saw you." There was that annoying heat in his cheeks again. "You were only 13. Christ." Cedric raised his hands to cover his face.

Harry smirked. "Don't worry, you were only 16." He reached out and pulled Cedric's hands from his face. "You'll smudge all that pretty make-up." A soft chuckle emerged from under Cedric's palms as they were lifted away. "Look at me," Harry prompted, not releasing Cedric's hands.

Cedric did look at him, shivering at the feel of warm skin and soft leather against his palms. "You're still three years younger than I am."

"I'm afraid that's not going to change." Harry grinned, and Cedric couldn't help but smile back.

"Right now, I feel like I'm the one who's three years younger," the Hufflepuff admitted.

"That's because you're bringing out my protective, masculine urges." Such a statement should sound ridiculous from someone Harry's age, but his voice came out deep and rough. And he sounded as if he meant it.

Noticing the shaky breath Cedric took, Harry could no longer hold back. He released Cedric's hands and reached out to trail his fingers down Cedric's neck, tangling them in the pearls. "Your heart is racing," he said hoarsely.

A slender hand rested on Harry's chest, long fingers weaving through criss-crossing silk straps. "So is yours," Cedric whispered. He was pulled forward slightly with a tug on his pearls.

Harry leaned in until their mouths were an inch apart, then angled his head into the curve of Cedric's neck until his nose touched the soft skin there. And inhaled deeply.

The pulse in Cedric's throat fluttered unsteadily, and Harry felt the same beautiful bewilderment under his palm. He closed his eyes when he felt Cedric's sigh, his lips pressed against delicately scented skin. A scent which might well drive him mad. Not quite girl, not quite boy - the faintest hint of peach and something musky. Breathing rapidly, hungrily, Harry shaped a kiss against the quivering flesh and then the edge of Cedric's jaw. Then he nudged an earlobe with his nose, kissing under there as well, just as he felt the laces across his own chest give way.

Cedric had undone them with a clever flick of his fingers, now hooking into the V of the black silk top. His slim fingers nudged the smooth skin there, satisfied that Harry's heart was as out of control as his own. Then he turned his hand between their chests and entangled their fingers in the small space. He raised his left hand to the back of Harry's neck, and leaned back against the sofa arm, drawing Harry down with him.

A soft whisper of "Cedric," and Harry closed his teeth on Cedric's earlobe and bit down gently. One moan triggered another, and Harry shifted into a steadier position, his left knee between Cedric's thighs, his right foot still on the floor. His hand was resting on Cedric's knee.

Cedric arched his back when the tip of Harry's tongue flicked inside the shell of his ear, his leg jerking in reflex, and Harry's warm hand slid up his thigh to where silk met lace.

Harry raised his head, gazing into deep grey eyes as unfocussed as his own. He turned to look down at his hand on Cedric's leg and growled softly at the sight of the delicate red garter band separating smooth fabric and even smoother skin.

Feeling Harry's growl everywhere, Cedric lay back panting. He watched, mesmerised, as Harry reverently traced the ruby red lace, then hooked his fingers under the elastic band and pulled it down impatiently.

Cedric drew up his knee and raised his leg slightly to allow Harry to slide it all the way down to his ankle. Harry flicked off Cedric's shoe, letting it fall to the floor with a soft clank. He drew the lace circle over his foot, caressing the arch and sole almost accidentally.

"Harry," Cedric gasped.

Looking into his eyes heatedly, Harry raised the lace to his lips, murmured, "I'm keeping this," and tucked it into the pocket of his trousers.

Cedric gulped and watched the masked eyes lower once more to his thigh. Harry's hand covered his knee to keep it raised, and then he leaned down to kiss the strip of bare skin between the top of Cedric's stocking and the trim of the white French knickers peeking out under his dress. And Cedric cried out, his fingers grasping strands of Harry's hair.

Harry nuzzled the warm flesh mercilessly, more than aware how much Cedric was enjoying it. He couldn't get enough of his skin - the scent of him, the taste... his tongue flicked out. He felt light-headed with the need to do something about Cedric's obvious excitement, but unsure how to go about it.

"Harry!" Cedric was shaking all over.

"You taste even better here," Harry murmured, just loud enough for Cedric to hear him. "I bet you taste wonderful everywhere."

"Come here," Cedric pleaded, tugging at Harry's hair until he was forced to raise his head. "Up here."

With a smile, Harry slid up over Cedric's prone form, both of them shivering as he did so. And this time, when he leaned in, Cedric's lips were there to make sure he wouldn't get sidetracked.

The dampness of Harry's lips mingled with the glossy sweetness of Cedric's, and their mouths parted slickly. Cedric's tongue curled into Harry's mouth and was met enthusiastically. Everything was wet and rough, and a little clumsy at first, but they kissed each other breathless anyway.

"So sweet," Harry whispered against Cedric's lips.

"Mmm," Cedric agreed and took Harry's lips again. He lifted both arms and wrapped them around Harry's neck, arching up against him wantonly. Something long, hard and smooth pressed against his groin. "God, Harry, is that--" He shivered.

Harry chuckled softly, fumbling between them to extract the whip he had all but forgotten about. "Just this," he said, dropping it to the floor and smiling down at Cedric.

A deep blush coloured Cedric's entire face; Harry thought it adorable.

Bearing down on Cedric hard, Harry watched him, and Cedric's eyes shot open wide as he gave an experimental push up against Harry. "Oh," he gasped, looked down at the discarded whip from the corner of his eye, and went boneless. "Fuck."

Harry gave him a pleased smirk and continued to kiss him.

Cedric's left leg fell to the side, widening the space between them to increase the contact. And then Harry's hand was back on his thigh, sliding around and under it, fingertips digging into the narrow strip of bare flesh at the very top. The fingers shifted forward while Cedric was distracted by Harry's tongue, slipping under the trim of the silk knickers teasingly.

Cedric lowered one arm, his hand covering Harry's forearm to stop him, but instead, his hand went around Harry's slim waist, black silk smooth under his palm. The curve of Harry's arse beckoned, and Cedric squeezed the warm flesh through the leather.

The groan rumbling in Harry's chest made Cedric smile. "Harry..."

"Hm" Gentle lips moved aimlessly over Cedric's cheek and chin. A hot tongue licked up the centre of Cedric's neck. The fingers inside his knickers were getting very forward indeed.

"Ha... ah, God! Harry!" Cedric's voice was pleading. Breathless.

Finally, Harry raised his head, looking down into Cedric's flushed face. "Am I doing something wrong?" he asked hesitantly.

"No. Oh, no." Cedric smirked, and Harry smiled at him, relieved. "You... You're wonderful, Harry. I want you so much."

Harry was trembling all over. "Oh, me too. I mean... you." He grinned sheepishly. "I've never felt like this before. About anyone else." He lowered his eyes. "Sorry, I'm probably freaking you out."

Cedric smiled, lifting Harry's chin so he could look at him again. He didn't even try to hide the extent of his feelings, and Harry's eyes widened. "Silly thing," he said tenderly, kissing Harry very softly.

When they drew apart again, Cedric shifted them around until they were lying side by side, pressed together, and he could look at Harry and stroke a soothing hand up and down his side. "You know we're not allowed to do anything yet, don't you?"

Harry nodded reluctantly. "You're leaving though." He sounded desperately sad.

"The school, Harry." Cedric smiled at him. "Just the school. Not you. Not now that I finally--"

"Found me?" Harry suggested, smiling.

Cedric looked at him fondly and nodded. "And took a leaf out of the Gryffindor book. When's your birthday?"

"July 31st."

Breathing a sigh of relief, Cedric smirked. "That's barely six weeks away."

"I don't need to stay with my muggle relatives all summer anymore, now Voldemort is gone." Harry was shaking with excitement. "Cedric, are you saying that I can see you after that?"

Cedric was beaming. "I don't see why not. I'm sure Dumbledore will agree you're better off with me than your horrid relatives. Would you like that? Because you could stay with me right until your sixth year--"

Before the last word had quite made it past his lips, Harry's mouth had covered them with an enthusiastic, sloppy kiss.

When Cedric could breathe again, he gasped, "I guess that answers that."

"When?" Harry asked, his fingers playing with the fringes of Cedric's dress, to the older boy's distraction.

"Oh... let's see... July 31st?"

"I'll be sixteen." Harry grinned. "So I'll be expecting a really special present."

"Hm." Cedric ran his fingers under the mask and slipped it off Harry's face. He let the mask dangle from his fingers and caressed a cheekbone with his fingertips, smiling at the way Harry's eyes fluttered closed. Then he leaned in to whisper. "I know just the thing for you. You'll love it."

Harry blushed and, so softly Cedric nearly didn't hear him, he murmured, "I think I already do."

Smiling contentedly, Cedric said, "That's good. Because it's a unique gift. No one else has another like it, and it's only given once."

"I can't wait," Harry said, blinking down at Cedric. "I can't see either, but that's okay." He smiled sheepishly.

"Eyesight spell?" Cedric asked, holding up the mask.

"Uh huh."

" _Accio Harry Potter's glasses!_ "

A minute later, the door at the top of the stairs flew open, then clicked shut again softly, and Harry's glasses landed safely in Cedric's palm. He placed them on Harry's nose with a smile. "I'll be keeping the mask," he said. "As a deposit for the real thing." He kissed Harry tenderly.

"You could wear it next time," Harry murmured against his mouth.

"Mmm." Cedric nibbled Harry's bottom lip. "If you wear the garter band you nicked from me."

Harry chuckled. "Deal."

 

THE END - but continues in "Harry in Wonderland"


End file.
